[doctorxring]

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Did you guys see this rifle ? I've never seen pics of
this one before. Was hoping it would stay in my range,
but it did not surprise me when it jumped over $1K.

Cool rifle -- Anyone here have any info on this one ?

dxr

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116072258

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[Amtraker]

They were apparently built as training rifles by FN for the Israelis and the South Africans. The figure I heard was 2k completed. A batch of the Israeli ones came into the States in around 2004. Myself and my former roommate bought two, when they came available through the Old Sac Armory in California. They were priced at $300 each. My roomie had the stock redone professionally, as well as a park job, and the thing stops traffic at the range. I've left mine original, and have a hard time telling it apart from my Russian Captures in my gun safe. Because they are built on a 98k base, when you shoot it, there is no recoil, and almost no sound. I can't say enough good about the weapon.

 

[raul]

IMO this Gunbroker trainer was remanufactured in Israel, from K98 FN rifles originally in 7.92x57, using Remington barrels-The ones manufactured by FN for Israel ,South Africa and the Belgian Navy (mstamped ABL 1952)were .22 since origin and there are no outside differences between the full caliber one and the 22 trainer, the one pictured at gunbroker has a peep sight and a ft sight wich the K98'snever had=Pics below of the Israeli trainer made by FN-The batch was 0f 1000 untis for the IDF

 

[raul]

This is the K98 Trainer made by FN for the Belgian Navy, stamped ABL1952, same lines as in the israeli

 

[ftr53]

Mine (an FN-built .22) looks like the regular issue-grade K98, except for the inch-high '0.22' engraved in the R/H buttstock. A little more hangar-rash than Raul's, but the same marking over the chamber. It's a single-shot single-loader with a feed trough leading into the chamber to help thumbing the round home. No fancy sights, just the issue configuration, with a hood on the front, but from a rest it groups well with anything I feed it. I'm happy it's not finicky and likes the bulk cheapies. I can take it and an Enfield .22 to the range and it's Axis & Allies for about a buck a box.

 

[Amtraker]

Raul, thanks for the additional info. Your pics look exactly like my gun. It's funny to think that only a thousand of these were made over half a century ago, and there are examples still firing in people's collections.

 

[raul]

Yeah, I bought three in France a decade ago, still have the three of them-